This workplace adult cartoon is almost as brilliant as its mama and papa series “Big Mouth.”
From “Maude” and “The Jeffersons” being spun off from “All in the Family” to “The Cleveland Show” being taken from “Family Guy” to “Fraiser” making his own journey from “Cheers,” television spin-offs have infinite possibilities. Half of them can be lively, the other half not so much. Now, we have “Human Resources,” the spin-off of the most fearless and funniest adult animated Netflix series “Big Mouth,” joins the club.
“Human Resources” is, as the opening describes, “like “Big Mouth” meets “The Office,”” and it’s almost as brilliant as that show, and so far, I was given a two-episode virtual screening. I’m jonesing to see the rest of the first season. I met Nick Kroll, who co-created the show inspired by his life, and told him “Big Mouth” was respectful to both men and women, and we really must appreciate that, given the world we live in, and the movies and shows to present them in hurtful ways.
“Human Resources” is the spiritual world where all the show’s mythical imaginary friends are assigned humans to guide them. You know the Hormone Monsters are there to help humans get their grooves on. The Shame Wizard is the one who makes you feel guilty about your fornication and perversion. The Anxiety Mosquitoes always find the most stressful situations. The Depression Kitty inspires depression in the most alluring ways. And the Love Bugs can help you find the romance in your life, and when they find the hatred inside, they transform into Hate Bugs. But it’s not just them. There are also Logic Rocks, which are like rock monsters trying to make you reason with your anticipation, and Ambition Gremlins, who are extremely ambitious.
As the show begins, and remember, I was given two episodes so far, we meet the love bug Emmy (voiced by Aidy Bryant), the inattentive assistant of the love bug Sonya (voiced by Pamela Adlon), who was fired for some reason. Now, Emmy is assigned to her human Becca (voiced by Ali Wong), who is giving birth soon, and she doesn’t know a thing about love. All she knows is how to screw creatures, one of them is an addiction angel with Hugh Jackman’s voice. But her friend Walter (voiced by Brandon Kyle Goodman) is able to show her the love.
Kroll is back in roles as the Hormone Monsters: the raspy-voiced Maury and the disfigured Rick, along with Maya Rudolph as the female Hormone Monstress Connie, David Thewlis as the Shame Wizard, Keke Palmer as the Love Bug Rochelle, Thandiwe Newton as the British Hormone Monstress, Bobby Cannavale as the intense and jerky Hormone Monster Gavin, John Gemberling as Tyler the teenage Hormone Monster, and Maria Bamford as Tito the Anxiety Mosquito. Some of the new cast members include Rosie Perez as the Ambition Gremlin Petra, and Randall Park as the Logic Rock Pete, and guest stars feature Henry Winkler, Helen Mirren, Jemaine Clement, Chris O’Dowd, Lupita Nyong’o, Harvey Guillen, Janelle Monae, and Mike Birbiglia.
So far, from what I’ve seen, parts of the show being spun-off from “Big Mouth” seem obvious, but “Human Resources” still offers the kind of stupid funny jokes, flexible raunchy and sexual behaviors, and inspiring male and womanhood that is predecessor has expressed so respectfully. And I mean that in both ways. So far, Emmy’s character nearly has the kind of attitude that Abbi Jacobson gave to her “Disenchantment” character Bean, and Bryant is fearless in the voice role. Kroll, Rudolph, Thewlis, Goodman, and Palmer are all still outrageous and fun in their roles, and you’re happy to see them in their workplace. How they function, how they’re assigned humans, and how they still want to get horny are all animated with attitude, style, and comedy. I can’t wait to see more.
PS: The theme song, this time, is Janelle Monae’s “Make Me Feel.”
Premieres This Friday on Netflix
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